France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reportedly intensified their collaboration in Chad, aiming to maintain strategic influence in the geopolitically significant Sahel country.
The move is seen as a reaction to Chad’s recent interest in diversifying international partnerships beyond traditional Western allies.
Chad’s central location in Africa has long made it a valuable logistical hub for regional operations.
This position has led France to establish its Adji Kosseï air base in the capital, N’Djamena, which has served as a key site for Operation Barkhane, the country’s counterterrorism mission launched in 2014.
Meanwhile, the UAE sees Chad as a critical transit point for logistical and military support to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an ally in the region.
France has provided logistical assistance to UAE-backed operations, reportedly granting access to its bases to support UAE objectives.
International interest in Chad has grown as numerous countries recognize its importance.
Yet this increasing attention has sparked concern in Paris, which now sees potential threats to its long-standing influence in its former colony.
In an effort to preserve its standing, France has enlisted support from the UAE to stymie potential rivals.
Reports from US publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, highlighted allegations that Chad was supplying arms to the RSF, prompting the Sudanese government to appeal to the UN Security Council and even threaten diplomatic severance with Chad.
While France maintains strong military ties in Chad, recent political shifts in the Sahel have seen French forces expelled from several West African states, a trend fueling anxiety over a potential loss of influence in Chad.
France and the UAE have responded by ramping up efforts to limit foreign partnerships Chad might pursue, particularly with nations such as the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Hungary, and Turkey.
This UAE-French strategy appears to have already impacted US-Chad relations. Earlier this year, Chad expelled a US special operations unit, SOTF, from its Adji Kosseï base.
The incident followed suspicions reportedly shared by UAE and French officials concerning US activities in the area, resulting in Chad’s decision to cease negotiations on the team’s return.
Although potential alliances with Russia and China have been floated by the media, no substantial partnerships have materialized between Chad and these powers.
Similarly, efforts by Hungary to send a 200-member unit to assist Chad in counterterrorism efforts have faced setbacks.
UAE and French media outlets launched a campaign alleging Hungary’s interest in Chad’s natural resources, allegedly tying Budapest’s motivations to broader Russian strategies in the region.
France and the UAE’s alignment on several global and regional issues has strengthened their partnership across Africa and the Middle East.
Both nations have supported Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar, and the UAE has bolstered French counterterrorism initiatives in the Sahel.
In return, France has reinforced UAE air defense systems amid missile and drone threats, demonstrating the mutual defense commitments between the two countries.
The UAE remains a major importer of French weaponry, a longstanding relationship that has solidified cooperation between Paris and Abu Dhabi.
France has preserved this alliance through extensive defense exports to the Gulf state, underscoring both countries’ shared strategic interests.
As global powers vie for influence in Africa, France and the UAE appear united in their commitment to maintaining a foothold in Chad, with the region serving as a critical launching pad for their broader ambitions across the Sahel and neighboring areas.
